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Sunday, 1 April 2012

Abbott Says "We Are All Israeli"

The opposition leader of Australia, Tony Abbott, recently said in a speech to members of the Jewish Australian community that Australians are "all Israeli".

Tony Abbott on the far left. ('Far left'...irony).

Dear Mr Abbott,

Firstly, congratulations on doing a great job at ostracising Australian Arab and Muslim communities.

Secondly, thanks for spitting in the face of human rights.

And thirdly, you may consider yourself Israeli. And by Israeli, I'm sure you mean Zionist. Israel supporters may consider themselves Israeli. Other racists and supremacists may consider themselves Israeli. But the rest of us are Palestinian. Especially those of us who have faced some form of discrimination and oppression.

We are all Palestinian.

Here is my take on an article that appeared on jewishnews.net.au about Abbott's speech.

FEDERAL Opposition Leader Tony Abbott gave a strong endorsement of Israel’s right to defend itself during a speech at the Central Synagogue last Friday night.

Ah, the myth that Israel is 'defending' itself. This was expected.

Israel is the occupier. Palestinians are the occupied. Palestine was invaded and dispossessed, and continues to be dispossessed, by Israel. Palestinians are the dispossessees - exiled, homes demolished, land stolen, stateless. Palestinians have no sovereignty and no military. Palestinians are the ones lining up at checkpoints, not Israelis. Israel expropriates Palestinian natural resources, controls Palestinians, builds colonies on Palestinian land, blockades Palestinians, massacres Palestinians, restricts Palestinian freedom of movement, and denies Palestinians their rights and freedoms, including the right to return.

And you dare to say that Israel is 'defending' itself?

When Palestinians defend themselves against military occupation, it's 'terrorism'. When Israel does what it normally does - colonises and occupies - it's 'defending' itself.

“In so many ways, [Israel is] a country so much like Australia, a liberal, pluralist democracy,” he said, “A beacon of freedom and hope in a part of the world which has so little freedom and hope.”

Abbott is right about Israel and Australia sharing several similarities. Israel ethnically cleanses, colonises, occupies, oppresses and massacres Palestinians, just as Australia did to Aboriginal Australians. Palestine was invaded, just as Aboriginal Australia was invaded. Israel steals Palestinian land just as Australians stole Aboriginal land. He's wrong about everything else. Israel is an apartheid state. It is an ethnocracy, not a democracy. It distinctly privileges Jews over non-Jews. See above.

He added that Australians“can hardly begin to comprehend” the existential threat Israelis live under.

Take a look at this map and tell me who is facing an existential threat - the Palestinians or the Israelis?

“It is so easy for us in Australia to get moral qualms, if you like, when we read about Israeli actions in – on the West Bank for instance – or Israeli involvement in Lebanon.”

Abbott is essentially saying that he is aware (as well as Australians) of Israel's crimes against humanity and international law violations, but because it's Israel, they can get away with it.

"I don't, like, get, why Australians, would feel, like, uneasy about Palestinian homes being, like, demolished? And illegal settlements, which, like the UN tried passing a resolution to condemn, keep being built? And like, what is up with Australians being, like, all upset and shit when Israel attacked and bombed Lebanon? Totes beats me."

“And yet, we are not threatened in the way Israel was and is, and if we were threatened in the way Israel was and is, I am sure that we would take actions just as strong in our own defence.

Yes! We would also massacre human rights activists bringing aid, medicine and building supplies to the blockaded, besieged and malnourished Gaza!

“When Israel is fighting for its very life, well, as far as I’m concerned, Australians are Israelis. We are all Israelis in those circumstances.”

Again, Mr Abbott, Palestinians are fighting for their lives. They are resisting. And we are all Palestinian.

He was also full of praise for the Central Synagogue congregation and the wider Jewish community. “I am immensely encouraged to see the strength and the vigour of Jewish culture and Jewish faith here in Australia.”

The modern Zionist movement is an affront to Judaism and Jewish people.